CANTON — This brother act — one from the right side, the other from the left — has made it mark on Stark County centers since each graduated from McKinley High School.
The older, 31-year-old Brett McCourry, a Perry Township righty, has been at the top of Stark County’s league averages for the past several years, constantly at the 240 mark.
His younger brother, 28-year-old Canton lefty Alex McCourry, had three 800s in the Pizza Oven Classic league at Park Centre Lanes last season.
Both recorded 800 series recently in the Liberty Vending league at Eastbury Bowling Center. While Brett has no idea how many 800s he has recorded — “I think it’s north of 40,” he said — it marked No. 24 for Alex along with 50 300 games. In fact, the brothers had their 800s two weeks apart, with Alex also recording a 300 before that at Park Centre.
Both also are involved in the bowling industry, with Brett now working part-time in the Station 300 Akron pro shop while Alex is employed by Ace Mitchell Bowlers Mart.
Here’s a look at their 800 runs.
BATTLING INJURY
Brett McCourry had games of 278, 278 and 266 for his 822 series using a Roto Grip Tour Dynamics.
His night started with a spare before he ran off 10 strikes in a row in Game 1. Game 2, he posted the front eight strikes before an 8-count spare ended that run. Two spares slowed him in Game 3.
“I’ve been throwing it really well, but the Eastbury scoring pace is really high,” Brett said. “I’ve been throwing it well for a few years now. I just want to continue this ride as long as I can.”
It was during a tournament at Spins Bowl Akron last season that Brett suffered an injury to his right knee. He has confirmed there is a tear in the knee, but he has elected to wait on possible surgery.
“The weather sucks for the knee. I’m not wearing a brace or anything,” McCourry said. “They confirmed it’s torn, but she told me I can do surgery now or wait. Even if I sever it now, it’s the same surgery.
“If it’s not bothering me that much, you can survive until that point. She did say when I decide to do it, it would be a really bad rehab, so I’d really like to not do that.”
Brett termed the injury as “definitely not pain free and annoying.” But he has no plans for surgery at this point.
“We’re happy for sure they way things are going,” said McCourry, who also operates a landscaping service and soap company. “I really haven’t made any changes because of it. It’s not pain free, but I can still score.”
FRESH OUT OF THE BOX
Alex’s 800 started with 279, followed by 235 and then a 299 to finish for 813. He used a new Hammer Scorpion Low Flare that he had drilled the previous day.
“I had an idea of what it was going to do, but I didn’t actually know what it was going do to,” Alex said. “I started throwing it in practice and liked the shape.”
Alex had been using a combination of the Ebonite Fireball and Columbia Piranha at Eastbury, but admitted he was “fishing” around.
“I didn’t have a bridge ball between the two. I had thrown quite a few in the (Hammer) Arson line over the years, and this seemed close to it,” Alex said.
In Game 1, he left an early stone 8-pin. But things changed in Game 2 when he had four spares.
“I just had a couple of poor shots,” Alex said. “The shot was there all night, but I just didn’t execute.”
After finishing with the final three strikes in Game 2, he ran off the front 11 in Game 3 before leaving a 7-pin on his final ball.
“I really didn’t care that much about it. I knew I needed the first one in the 10th for 800 and I buried that one,” Alex said. “Everything else was just icing on the cake. I still made a decent shot.”
Alex said his recent surge is due to “equipment and comfortability.”
“It’s kind of stressful running from work (in Cuyahoga Falls) all the way to Eastbury,” Alex said. “That day, me and (his fiancee) Jess (Vandegrift) had a food tasting so I had the afternoon off. It made it easier that day.”
The pair are to be married in August.
Even with the number of 800s, Alex says the nerves are always there.
“I still have nerves,” Alex said. “You’re still into the moment and you want to make sure you execute. If you don’t, it’s not going to happen.”
And it continues to happen plenty for the McCourry brothers.